NEW YORK  The Padres got their first victory of the season Thursday on runs from players batting in Chase Headley’s spot and an RBI from the kid filling in at his position.

Still, the second-best third baseman in Citi Field for the season-opening series between loomed large because he didn’t play.

“It’s fun to play against that type of player,” the Mets’ David Wright, probably the best in the game at his position, said before the Padres won 2-1 in the series finale. “From a third base standpoint, I was disappointed. From a team standpoint, I wasn’t disappointed.”

The Padres were able to salvage a game because starting pitcher Eric Stults is a gem they found underneath a rock, they strung together three hits in the fourth inning, including a double by Jedd Gyorko driving in Mark Kotsay, and Chris Denorfia scored the winning run on a wild pitch in the eighth.

But our hometown nine totaled 16 hits and were outscored 20-8 in a three-game series here, and we know now what we knew before the season started.

That is, the Padres face a rough time with Headley sidelined at least the season’s first 2½ weeks with a fractured tip of his thumb.

“I’ve always kind of been a fan of the good third basemen in the game,” Wright said. “Chase is right up there. I envy his ability to switch hit … I enjoy watching him play, because he does everything in the game well.”

The Padres would like to believe Headley is something of a late-blooming David Wright -- an excellent fielder who can year after year hit for power and average, as well as a nice guy who can be a franchise’s featured face.

If so, they’re blessed.

And they’re in trouble.

I stood on the field Opening Day with Padres Executive Chairman Ron Fowler, pointed toward third base and told him I was fascinated to see how his team goes about keeping Headley. And when I said fascinated, I really meant incredulous, even skeptical.

Fowler picked up on the tone.

“I’m not going to get into specifics of how we’re going to do it,” he said. “But I can guarantee you we’ll make a long-term offer.”

It’s the sort of statement that sounds strong. And I believe it is intentioned that way.

But what does it mean and what does it matter?

Admiration for what the first two generation of baseball O’Malleys did makes me want to give benefit of doubt to the third generation. They’re interested in not only restoring the Padres but preserving their family name.

Just because John Moores was disinterested and Jeff Moorad was in over his head doesn’t mean this ownership group will fail.

I'm willing to give the new owners a year to make more moves.

But not making every effort to keep Headley would be unacceptable.

What "every effort" means, should Headley perform at a level approaching last year’s 31 home runs and National League-leading 115 RBI, is an offer for something like $15 million a year.